Dame - Bubble Baby

 

  Dame are a dark post punk band based in Boston, Massachusetts who formed in 2015 and line up with Diana (vocals), Anna (guitar), Lauren (keys), Meghan (drums) and Dani (bass). They've featured in numerous other bands such as Exit Order, Leather Daddy, Bad Idea, Native Sun etc...

  Their first release was a 5 track ep titled Charm School and they followed it up in 2016 with a split cassette ep with The Cringe. 2017 saw them release a Self Titled ep on Charm School Records and you can check it out, along with the debut, here : https://dame-boston.bandcamp.com/

  Despite being spread out geographically they managed to get together before the Covid pandemic took a hold to record a new 7 track 12". The blue vinyl version is already sold out but you can get it on black from Beach Impediment Records      https://beachimpedimentrecords.bigcartel.com/product/dame-s-t-12

 

  It's also available as a name your price download :   https://beachimpedimentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dame

  My favourite song? Maybe it's because I'm more familiar with it than with the new material (or maybe just because it's so bloody good!) but I'm opting for a reworked track from their debut ep. This is Bubble Baby...

Riot City Radio - Anchor In The Storm

  "...so I'll make through the dark days, I'll make it through the storm, it's what I always do, I've done before.."

  The song I'm posting today is one that I played on the Just Some Punk Songs show towards the end of last year. Even earlier than that, I featured the first song recorded by the band on this blog (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/05/riot-city-radio-stand-strong.html). Now both of those songs, plus a couple more have made their way onto the band's debut ep. The band is Riot City Radio.

  If you haven't come across them yet, they're a 3 piece street punk band from Plymouth with a line up of Matt Colton (Bass/Vocals), Tom Boutwood (Drums/Vocals) and Tom Murphy (Guitar/Vocals). If those names sound familiar you may have heard them from other bands such as Hostile Minds, Arch Rivals, Hard Wax and Dead Legions. The ep is titled Anchor In The Storm and it's available on 4 limited edition coloured vinyls from Sunny Bastards : https://shop.sunnybastards.de/

  If you like your music to be heartfelt and anthemic and feature big sing along choruses then this is a release you should pay attention to. It's working class punk music, melodic oi with the occasional dash of ska. It's very catchy but still hits hard. This is the title track, Anchor In The Storm...

Daughter Bat and the Lip Stings - Preemptive Strike (Guest Review By Billy Ouka)

  

  Welcome To Love Songs...

  "Not because i don't love you or because i don't think we'll last but just because it's better to be safe than sorry"

  One of the songs I've enjoyed most recently is a new one by Daughter Bat And The Lip Stings. It also proved very popular when I played it on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show show and so as I knew very little about the "band" I asked listener Billy Ouka (aka Slug Butter vocalist (https://www.facebook.com/Slug-Butter-1289415334489121/) Simon Geddes) if he fancied writing this update. He did a bit of research and even went out of his way to contact the man behind Daughter Bat, Angus Lewis, and this is what he came up with...

  "Similar to everything else but also a bit different :-) rock and roll babeh!"

   Daughter Bat is a one dude setup, who lives in rural NSW near Wollongong. Formally in a band called Fruit Bat, been going since late 2019, Daughter Bat have been releasing a steady stream of DIY bedroom punk classics, with the latest from the single Love Songs, Preemptive Strike, a slice of garage egg punk magic, with a killer hook and an infectious organ, with the B-side sounding like a an outtake from a Mo Tucker recording session. Featured in issue 4 (https://magneticvisions.neocities.org/issuefour.html) of Billiam's    (https://hiimbilliam.bandcamp.com/) excellent zine Magnetic Visions (https://www.facebook.com/Magnetic-Visions-101613498260340/) and released on his label Under Heat Records, with hopefully a split 7" being released in the near future. (https://underheatrecords.bandcamp.com/music)

  "Home dubbed on old op shop tapes for added fuzz and warmth and not because i'm too broke to do an actual run"

  "Well my main biggest influence would be the big Sydney names like gee tee and anything ishka is a part of because he is god but I also just love the classic early weird punk stuff. I look to early eggy punky bands for more of general feel though as a pose to actual sound. As far as future plans go I just really want to keep recording eps and playing any gig I get offered to be honest. As for bands I’ve recently been listening to, lots of blondie, bit of gg allin, the new “grand finale” ep is amazing and I’ve had the hacker demo on repeat for a while now but yeah, apart from that just a healthy mix of pop and rock and blah blah. As far as a secret for the sound goes I really can’t tell you, I’m very inexperienced with recording, just wack it into the 4 track because it’s super straight forward, bung it onto the computer, slap it onto the web babey" Angus Lewis (Daughter Bat)

  You can get Love Songs "name your price" here :   https://daughterbatandthelipstings.bandcamp.com/

  This is Preemptive Strike...

Grim Deeds - Empowered By Pride

  I'm assuming that it won't be long now before the releasing of new music slows down a little, we have been going through a global pandemic after all and bands have been finding it difficult to get together much and I would think getting to studios to record. This probably isn't something that would effect Grim Deeds much though given as he records most of his stuff in his car or at home. Getting into the classroom in which he teaches (and records his music) might prove a little more problematic but aside from that it'll be pretty much business as usual. So it's no real surprise he's just released a new 7 track ep.

  Admitting he needs to keep making music but hinting that changes may be in the pipeline he says this...

"This collection came together somewhat frantically, but still organically. I needed to record almost daily in order to stay sane during the (currently) ongoing pandemic. The result is a strange but honest range of tunes that vary in tone and meaning, yet remain true to my vision of what Grim Deeds should be. As we march forward into uncertainty, new chapters may begin while others are left behind. Savour these songs as if they were the last of their kind, because they very well may be!"

  The ep is titled Pathos which is an an apt description of the song I'm featuring today. Before I get to that though I'll let you know that you can get the ep on cd and digital download from Outloud! Records. https://outloudrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pathos

  So, Pathos.... a quality that evokes sadness or pity. And that's the emotion Grim appears to feel towards those who insist that Covid 19 is a hoax or maybe not that dangerous. He takes the role of someone who knows best, someone who won't listen to reason, who probably won't wear a mask or consider the well being of his neighbours. Someone who is maybe going to die due to their ignorance and stubbornness.

  This is Empowered By Pride...

Don’t tell me about truth
If it feels right I’ll believe it
if you try to force me
I’ll just refuse at every turn

Don’t tell me about choice
I know what is best for me yeah
And I will know my enemy
The ones destined to burn

I will hold my head high
As I cement my doom
I can’t listen to reason
For there is no room

I’m empowered by pride
And no one could persuade me otherwise

Don’t tell me that I’m wrong
You’ll just reinforce my feelings
My emotions and ego
Are much too precious to me

I will puff out my chest
As I take my last breath
And will die with my guarantee
That I knew best

I’m empowered by pride
And inside I know I’m always right

Cold Callers - Numb Thoughts

  London based Cold Callers are just one of a multitude of bands that feature vocals from No Front Teeth Records founder Marco Palumbo (you'll probably recognise his distinctive tones from the likes of The Gaggers, La Rabbia, Miscalculations, Botox Rats and many more). They previously featured on here when I posted the flip side of a single from 2016 (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2016/04/cold-callers-spying-on-me.html) and now they return with a track from new album Dressed To Die.

  The album is their second and it's been a couple of years in the making. No Front Teeth pitch it as 12 cuts of snotty powerpop that blends the sounds of The Sponsors, The Other Kids, Eater and Protex. I don't think it's a massive departure from Marco's other bands with his naggingly addictive vocals up front and central though maybe the music is a little less frantic than The Gaggers and less claustrophobic than La Rabbia. Basically if you're a No Front Teeth fan you'll like this. You can get it on vinyl from the label https://www.nofrontteeth.co.uk/ or digitally here :   https://coldcallers1.bandcamp.com/album/dressed-to-die

  This track is titled Numb Thoughts...

Crisis - Deeds Not Words

  Crisis (https://www.facebook.com/one98four/) formed way back in 1977 in Guildford, Surrey, and released their debut single, No Town Hall, the following year on Action Group Records. They went on to record 4 tracks for a John Peel session, releasing the first couple as the UK 79 7" before splitting up in 1980 following a gig supporting Magazine and Bauhaus. The other 2 session tracks appeared posthumously as the Alienation single.

  Then 35 years later, original bassist Tony Wakeford formed a new band, 1.9.8.4. and by 2017 they'd changed the name to Crisis. With Wakeford ably supported by Lloyd James (ex Naevus) on vocals, Aurora Lee on drums/vocals and Clive Giblin (ex Alternative TV) on guitar/vocals they're back gigging and releasing great music.

  Their first release since the 80's came in the form of last year's The Hammer And The Anvil single (https://relaxomaticvibratorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-hammer-and-the-anvil) and they're going to be following it up very shortly with a 12" ep titled Escalator.

  Deeds Not Words is the first track to be released from the ep and sees Aurora Lee take centre stage on vocals which is apt as the song is based on the rallying cry of Emmeline Pankhurst who thought more direct action was needed in the battle for women's rights around the time she helped create the Women's Social and Political Union (The Suffragettes). It's an impressive left leaning old school slice of post-punk that bodes well for the ep....

Broadway Calls - Radiophobia

 

  Broadway Calls are a pop punk band from Rainier, Oregon who formed around 15 years ago and feature a line up of Josh Baird (drums), Ty Vaughn (guitar/vocals) and Adam Willis (bass). Despite being aware of them for a while now they've kind of flown under my radar a little with only 2008's split ep with Teenage Bottlerocket receiving much attention. That recently changed though when I heard their new album Sad In The City. I've not been listening to much pop punk recently but this album has wormed it's way into my head. I couldn't honestly say how well it compares with their earlier work though it impresses enough to make me want to go back through their discography and investigate further. I assumed it'd be 11 melody heavy pop punk songs about relationships and heartbreak and while that kind of thing is present it's much darker, deeper and more relevant than that. The first track, Never Take Us Alive, asks "As my country collapses, can I crash on your couch..." whilst the title track begins "The rich man's blood spilled on my shirt, I'm glad he's dead and I hope it hurt" (I'll play this one on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show   https://www.facebook.com/events/282163196344580/ ). Take Me Down seems to deal with a night of dodging the authorities amidst the riots and fires whilst slower paced album closer Went Dyin' doesn't appear to leave us with much hope for the future.

  It's upbeat on the whole musically but the lyrical content is what makes it stand out from the crowd and makes it a lot more than just another disposable cookie cutter pop punk record. It's available on vinyl and cd from Red Scare Industries http://redscare.storenvy.com/ and the label are proclaiming "It's their finest full length and it'll likely go down as one of the top releases in our entire catalog." It's available digitally (with a few songs available to stream) here :   https://broadwaycalls.bandcamp.com/album/sad-in-the-city

  If you're the kind of person who doesn't usually bother with pop punk, give this a go and have a good listen to the lyrics. They've just released a video for their track about having a fear of real or imagined danger from radiation or radioactivity. Singer Tyler had this to say about the song :

“Radiophobia” is about the fear and anger we should all have about being born into a world with the bomb. Fuck Harry Truman. Fuck the military industrial complex.

 Growing up in the shadow of a cooling tower shaped my fear of radiation at a very young age. The nuclear power plant right down the road was a target during the cold war, and when the air raid drill sirens went off they would shake the whole town. The plan was to get on school busses and head towards the coast if there was ever a meltdown at the plant. We knew what a meltdown at a reactor would mean at the age of 7. It would mean never seeing our town and maybe families again. The plant was shut down in the early 90's, but the fear never subsided.


  It's called Radiophobia...

  

Tommy And The Commies - Impulse Action

  Is there anyone reading this that doesn't know Sudbury hooligan pop 3 piece Tommy And The Commies (https://www.facebook.com/TOMMYSCOMMIES/) have a new ep out?  I didn't think so. They're a band that made a big impression with their 2018 debut album Here Comes... A band who take all the best elements of golden era heroes such as Buzzcocks, Undertones, The Clash, etc and mould them into a sound that's both very familiar and very fresh. They're a band that I can't imagine too many visitors to this blog not loving.

  The ep is titled Hurtin' 4 Certain and it boasts 4 awesome tracks. It's pop punk for those who think pop punk isn't edgy enough. It's garage punk for those who yearn for bigger melodies. It's music to play for the nostalgia punks who seem to think no one's released anything worth listening to since they were in school several decades ago. Play it loud for them and shout "see, I told you punk wasn't dead!"

  It's available on 7" vinyl and digital download :
  https://tommyandthecommies.bandcamp.com/album/tommy-and-the-commies-hurtin-4-certain-ep

   It's hard to listen without thinking of Feargal Sharkey, Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto and it's even harder to choose a favourite song to highlight. One minute I'm decided upon the title track, the next I'm going with The Jam influenced Power On Standby... or should i pick the Clash at their catchiest One Arch Town? But then, sod it.... I've opted for Impulse Action...

Riviera Kid - Do Something!

  Riviera Kid are two best friends from Margate & Boughton who make "heavy melodic music with protest poetry lyrics." Johnny Yum Yum sings and plays guitars whilst Dan Atkinson sings and plays drums. They're DIY punks with day jobs living the weekend dream. They formed in the summer of 2018 and released their first ep, It's Not A Matter Of A Or B, at the start of 2019. It mixed elements of hardcore, grunge and punk to create a noisy and socially conscious statement of intent.

  They returned a couple of months ago with a new ep. Titled Stay Positive it's another powerful slice of shouty punk goodness in which they enlist the help of Jim Jam, Kate Wintie, Liz Hayward and Jim Kemp on backing vocals. It's available on Back From The Dead Records on cd and digital download : https://rivierakid.bandcamp.com/album/stay-positive

  I've been meaning to post a track for a while and I've had Casual Racism (lyric video here :   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfP0idpkSo) lined up and ready to go but whilst listening to the ep again I find myself drawn to a different song. It's a song that's going to be on the new #SolidarityNotSilence compilation from Hell Hath No Fury Records later this summer and it's both energetic and highly addictive with the added backing vocals ensuring the chorus is one of the catchiest you'll have heard recently.

  "If you see a problem you can fix...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."
  "You don't need to up and quit...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT"
  "Your life can flash before your eyes...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT"
  "Before you even realise...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."
  "Your mental health might fall apart...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."
  "It's never too late to make a start...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."
  "The world can be a shitty place...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."
  "It's not all bad it's not too late...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."

  Sounds good yeah? Then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!  Click play...

  Do Something...

The Raging Nathans - Don't Miss The Train (Guest Review By Ralph J Rivera)

   I got a message from Ralph J Rivera yesterday. He'd added a post to The Dummy Room Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/169323013765773/) about The Raging Nathans saying; "This band totally don't get enough love from our group. Been listening to all their stuff today and most of their albums are ALL killer,NO filler! An under-rated Pop Punk treasure! Dive in anywhere!"  and then asked me if I was up for another guest review for him. Ralph's passionate about his music and he certainly knows his stuff so sure Ralph, go for it...

  The Raging Nathans (https://www.facebook.com/TheRagingNathans/). Where do I even begin? Since 2012 this Dayton,Ohio powerhouse has been cranking out SOLID Pop Punk tunes with a heavy influence on the Punk! Mixing a classic Screeching Weasel style Midwest slant on the genre with seriously personal lyrics this band can go for the heart AND the throat in the course of one song. Since their very first EP all their releases have been on Rad Girlfriend Records (https://radgirlfriendrecords.storenvy.com/) which I could do a post on alone. But we're here for the NEW release!

After promising future greatness with this years earlier split release EP with Starter Jackets (https://radgirlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-ep-2) - The Raging Nathans (line up : JOSH GOLDMAN (GUITAR, VOCALS), NICK HAMBY (GUITAR, VOCALS), CHRISITAN ROERIG (BASS) & PATRICK COST (DRUMS)) have released their career masterpiece! "Oppositional Defiance" is 12 tracks of genuine heartbreak,anger and real life problems.This is a testimony from a band that's lived hard lives and 2020 was the breaking point. Pop Punk doesn't get much heavier,honest or relatable than this. If you're as fed up with life these days as most of us - You NEED this album in your life. Definitely gonna be in my year end Top Ten.

https://theragingnathans.bandcamp.com/album/oppositional-defiance

  Depending where you are in the world you'll also be able to get it from Brassneck Records, Bearded Punk Records, Beefcake Records and Waterslide Records.

Mick, for my song choice. I'd go with "Don't Miss The Train" or "Spoiled Brat"

I'll play Spoiled Brat on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show so today you're getting Don't Miss The Train...

TV Priest - Runner Up

  "It's like The Fall"

  "Now it's like Nick Cave"  

  Just a couple of comments from the folk in the chatroom on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show and it's hard to argue with them as when listening to the 2nd single from London post-punks TV Priest (https://www.facebook.com/TVPriest/) they seem to be obvious influences on vocalist Charlie Drinkwater. As well as Charlie, the band also features Alex Sprogis (guitars), Nic Smith (bass/keyboard) and Ed Kelland (drums).

  Their debut single, House Of York (https://orcd.co/house-of-york) was released earlier this year and caused enough of a buzz that they're now being hyped up by the likes of BBC Radio 6, the NME and Idles frontman Joe Talbot. They're getting so much positive press that it seems a bit like pissing into the ocean featuring them on here but the new single is so good that it's hard not to add my voice to the tumult.

  Insistent drums, meandering and squealing guitars and stream of consciousness style lyrics all combine to make a heady brew. This is a band with a big future and this song is titled Runner Up. Get it here : https://tvpriest.bandcamp.com/track/runner-up

Park that car
And pull yourself out
Behind the curtain lies
Your 20% off as it turns out
The sleeping God
Inner dreams does things at great speed
Does things at great speed
The sleeping God
Sees only flashing lights
On a, on a checkout screen

There was
There was
Scribbled on a temple wall

Here’s what you could have won
Here’s, here’s what you could have won
Here’s what you could have won
Here’s, here’s what you could have won

A lifetime supply of washing powder and mid range appliances
“Boiling the kettle, now there’s a distraction” said Adam to Eve as she bit the apple
Keep the conveyor rolling, keep that conveyor rolling, keep that conveyor rolling

And there was
Scribbled
Scribbled on a temple wall
It said…

Here’s what you could have won
Here’s, here’s what you could have won
Here’s what you could have won
Here’s, here’s what you could have won

I don’t wanna dance at the Christmas party
I got bigger nails to nail
I queue up outside, dark Britannic Mills, dark Britannic Mills
New Model be a winner ‘cos this battery won’t keep going on forever
New plastic wave, and lines on the calendar like a multi-national ticking over

And scribbled,
Scribbled somewhere
On the side of a temple wall
It said
It said
Here’s what you could have won
Here’s, here’s what you could have won

Enola Gay - The Birth Of A Nation

  We can no longer allow racism and police brutality to exist and flourish ANYWHERE in 2020. RACIST SCUMBAGS are crawling out from under rocks all over social media to make themselves heard. It’s not enough to just not be racist but we must hold each other accountable. Ideally, this session made at home, wasn't meant to be our first release seeing as we hadn’t planned on releasing music until after lockdown but 2 weeks ago we wrote our reaction to the current events and we couldn’t stay silent. We must be louder. We cannot stay silent. #MakeRacistsAfraidAgain  

  Above is the statement from Belfast band Enola Gay (https://www.facebook.com/enolagaybelfast/) that accompanies their excellent debut single, The Birth Of A Nation. They're an exciting new 4 piece that tag themselves post punk, shoegaze & noise and who feature a line up of Fionn Reilly (vocals), Joe McVeigh (guitar), Adam Cooper (bass) and Stevie Curtis (drums). Due to the lockdown, the single was written and recorded by the band at home and all profits go The Bail Project, a non-profit organisation that helps bail the wrongly imprisoned.   https://bailproject.org/

  It's a bass heavy and very powerful song and comes with an equally hard hitting video which contrasts professional media footage with handheld videos from people on the streets who were in the middle of the protests in an attempt to highlight the scope of the brutality towards peaceful protesters during the BLM protests. You can get it here : https://enolagay1.bandcamp.com/releases

  The Birth Of A Nation...

Space-age times with stone age minds
Modern-day slaves, no chains, institutionalised
Land founded on stealing and dealing
Resorts to shooting n' looting
This is a sign of the times

Knee to the neck from those who serve n protect
In the eyes of the law you’re all a suspect
Don’t want you to reflect on the image they project cause when you’re subject they still demand respect

The last defendant of the second amendment
Whose your fear furloughs the ongoing resentment
Tear gas to the face cause his skin face was brown
Reminiscent of a story of Oxford Town

The Black gets whacked, 6 warning shots in the back
The White gets a slap on a better day sacked
The black gets killed for the white man's thrill
Cause the white man gets off, labeled mentally ill

Break the legs
To rebuild the bone
Burn the house
Rebuild a home x2

I hear them say get out of their country
from the same ones who owe us 6 counties
I don’t remember a witch hunt for Kneecap
Course not- cause they’re not fuckin black

Rubber bullets hit the deck, proper RUC
Fired into the crowd, in Washington DC
You’ll never kill our will to be free
Cause in our minds we hold we hold the key

Less hate, less peelers, less madness
More blacks, more dogs, more Irish
Less hate, less peelers, less madness
More blacks, more dogs, more Irish

(More blacks, more dogs, more Irish)

The Black gets whacked, 6 warning shots in the back
The White gets a slap on a better day sacked
The black gets killed for the white man's thrill
Cause the white man gets off, labeled mentally ill

Break the legs
To rebuild the bone
Burn the house
Rebuild a home x4

M@d.inc - Way Down Shit Creek With No Paddle

 

  M@d.inc (or possibly Mad.Inc) (https://www.facebook.com/MadInc-1831523416969898/) are a London band who formed from the ashes of Mad Mush and are influenced by '77 era Clash. They line up with Dave Leak ( currently also in Stone Heroes ) on Guitar and Vocals, Fleagle ( currently also in Stone Heroes ) on Guitar, Des Connolly ( currently also in Stone Heroes and Shocks of Mighty ) on Drums, Gail Thibert ( currently also in Sarah Pinks Gravediggers/Flowers in the Dustbin ) on Keyboards and Backing Vocals and Paddy (Sophists) on Bass Guitar.

  Last year they released an album titled Treasure and if you like your punk rock to be melody driven and old school (possibly similar to bands like The Boys) then it could well be for you. You can check it out here : https://mdinc.bandcamp.com/releases

  This is the opening track, it's very catchy and the guitar riff in places reminds me slightly of Wonk Unit's I Told You So. It's called Way Down Shit Creek With No Paddle...

The Asteroids - Telephone

 

  Before you listen to today's song, can i suggest you get comfy, close your eyes and then (yeah, I know it won't be easy clicking play with your eyes closed but humour me!) click play on the video at the bottom of this update. You may be fooled into thinking you've been transported back in time to Manchester, January 1977. Whilst not quite as primitive sounding as the classics on UK punk's probable first and possible best ep, the song you'll be listening to certainly certainly shares a similar vibe.

  The Asteroids (https://www.facebook.com/planetasteroid/) are a 4 piece (Asteroid J, K West, Mike West and Julian West) from Wales who've recently released 2 of an initial run of 3 singles. The first of these paired up Never Give Up with Nothing Means A Thing To Me and was a lively intro to an exciting new band. The follow up is even better. As well as the track I've already enthused over there's also sub 1 minute burst of energy titled One Way System. None of the 4 tracks reach the 2 minute mark, they all kick down the door, rush in and slap you around the face before rushing out again. You can get them here : https://www.theasteroids.co.uk/music  I'm really looking forward to the next single and the album that'll follow it!

  Great guitar, killer harmonies, this is Telephone...

R.M.F.C - Getting Nowhere Fast (Girls At Our Best cover)

(photo : Mitchell Pink)

  Well I certainly wasn't planning on featuring a cover song for the 3rd day in a row. I dragged myself out of bed, turned on the pc, started writing out today's update and noticed a Facebook post from Steve from Richter Scale Records which read "Perfect Friday LP, who wouldn't want to hear Sick Thoughts cover Thin Lizzy or Erik Nervous doing Slayer.....Fuuuck!"

  Intrigued I thought I'd click the link and Fuuuck! indeed. A compilation album from Australia featuring 20 "COVERS BY THE HEAVY WEIGHTS OF ROCK N ROLL BABY." And what a compilation it is!

  It's on the Bandcamp page of excellent Sydney synth punks GEE TEE (who I last featured on here in November on what proved to be a very popular post :  (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/11/gee-tee-fbi.html) and who are a band you need to check out if you've not yet done so.

  The comp is titled G​.​T​.​R​.​R​.​C II and it features an inspired selection of covers by some very cool bands. Not only are there the ones Steve mentioned, there's also inspired and eclectic song choices such as Lights Out (Angry Samoans), Don't Bring Me Down (ELO), Sick On You (The Boys), Food Fight (Village People), 60 Nights Of Boredom (The Spaceshits) etc, etc, etc...

  I think the cassette version of the comp has already sold out (though it sounds as though there could be a second run) whilst the vinyl version is upcoming on Legless Records. In the meantime you can (and very definitely should) grab the digital download as a Name Your Price download here :    https://geeteeband.bandcamp.com/album/g-t-r-r-c-ii

  The track that I was instantly drawn to was the 1980 debut single by the totally awesome Girls At Our Best. This version does justice to the original and it's by R.M.F.C (aka Rock Music Fan Club) (https://www.facebook.com/rockmusicfanclub/). It's made my Friday a little bit special.

  Getting Nowhere Fast...

Glenn Tilbrook - BHS (Sleaford Mods cover) (Guest Review By Ade Bailey)

  What do you get if you cross Squeeze vocalist and guitarist Glenn Tilbrook with electronic punk duo Sleaford Mods? Ade Bailey has got the answer...

  It’s amazing what a global pandemic and enforced lock-down can do to people’s creativity. Some will crumble, hit the bottle, sit watching Dave in their pants. Others however, embrace the challenge.  Enter Squeeze legend Glenn Tilbrook and his family…

  I was alerted to this amazing cover by Jason of Sleaford Mods who shared it on his Twitter account, I was curious and clicked. Right away this odd mash-up, filmed in Tilbrook’s home studio and rehearsal space, grabs you, as one of his sons (behind a drum kit) looks into the camera and rips off his shirt – shit’s going down in the Tilbrook house!

  Now here’s Glenn, guitar strapped on and ready to go and we’re off! Attempting to cover such a niche band as Sleaford Mods will always be tricky – their stripped-back laptop beats and snarling social commentary lends itself really to no-one else but them, however, this is just wonderful. Jason’s trademark Nottingham bark is replaced by Tilbrook’s ‘Sarf London brogue and it works beautifully. Tilbrook’s interpretation of Andrew Fearnley’s hypnotic beats pick out the underlying chord structure and ‘BHS’ is transformed into a whole new beast. There are even female backing vocals, harmonies, keyboards, the whole nine yards.

  ‘BHS’ was always the stand-out lead track from ‘Eton Alive’ and this terrific version cements it. I’d also challenge those who naysay the Sleaford Mods to check out the phenomenal lyrics and nuanced song writing lurking under that rough exterior. No guitars certainly doesn’t equal no Punk Rock, Glenn Tilbrook gets it. 

  The song is in aid of The Trussell Trust and if you'd like to help support food banks to provide practical support to people in crisis check out this link :   https://www.trusselltrust.org/make-a-donation/

  This is BHS...

It's at night when they come,
When I'm alone, and not with anyone,
Through the shouts and music,
Of the crowd down the road boozing,
Near the free car park,
The bins and the alleyway, of the Chinese restaurant,
Number 3 for 2, and number 4 for 1

We're going down like BHS,
While the abled bodied vultures monitor and pick at us,
We're going down and it's no stress,
I lay and hope for the knuckle dragging exodus,
We're going down like BHS,
While the abled bodied vultures monitor and pick at us,
We're going down and it's no stress,
We're going down like BHS

The worst kind of bad dream,
As it lowers it's self on me,
Past the closing hour,
When the light in my phone starts to lose power,
Through the karaoke it screams it's name,
You can't blame the betrayed,
In the snakes and ladders,
We are the Baldricks son, and Blackadders

We're going down like BHS,
While the abled bodied vultures monitor and pick at us,
We're going down and it's no stress,
I lay and hope for the knuckle dragging exodus,
We're going down like BHS,
While the abled bodied vultures monitor and pick at us,
We're going down and it's no stress,
We're going down like BHS

Ooh, laying on a boat well what do you do
But ooh, laying on a boat mate look at you,
But ooh, laying on a boat well what do you do
But ooh Laying on a boat mate look at you
(Look at you!)

We're going down like BHS,
While the abled bodied vultures monitor and pick at us,
We're going down and it's no stress,
I lay and hope for the knuckle dragging exodus,
We're going down like BHS,
While the abled bodied vultures monitor and pick at us,
We're going down and it's no stress,
We're going down like BHS

Casual Nausea - Fuck The Sea

  Casual Nausea (https://www.facebook.com/casualnausea/) are the "glorious frantic mess" from Ipswich who featured on here last year with a track from their impressively raucous Demons album (https://www.facebook.com/casualnausea/). You may have also caught vocalist Zoë Barrow recently being unmasked as one of the members of hot new punk "supergroup" Knife Club (https://tnsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-knife-club), a band that also feature a couple of members of the much missed Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man. Armed with that knowledge it's no great surprise to learn that a new tribute ep to ROTPM would feature a contribution from Casual Nausea.

  The ep is on Hastings label Toxic Wotsit Records and it also features covers by The Domestics, Matilda's Scoundrels, Bätwolf and Stöj Sank. It's available on 7" vinyl (307 copies) as a co release with Kibou Records & Autonomonster Records and you can get it here :   https://www.toxicwotsit.co.uk/product/tribute-to-rotpm-7 and
https://kibourecords.bigcartel.com/product/various-tribute-to-revenge-of-the-psychotronic-man-7-e-p-limited

  Digitally it's available here : https://toxicwotsit.bandcamp.com/album/tribute-to-revenge-of-the-psychotronic-man

  The bands involved all put their own unique spin on their versions of some very good tracks, Casual Nausea barrel their way through a song that featured on 2012's Shattered Dreams Parkway album (https://tnsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/shattered-dreams-parkway) matching the originals intensity.

  This is Fuck The Sea...

Kids Of Skids - Army Store

  If you're a fan of snotty, irreverent punk rock music by bands that sound as though the couldn't give a fuck (but have probably put lots of effort into sounding as though they couldn't give a fuck) then Australia is as good a place to look as anywhere at the moment.

 Kids of Skids (https://www.facebook.com/kidsofskids2018/) are a 4 piece from Sydney who formed in 2018 and who feature a line up of Phe (vocals), Lucas (guitar), Ati (bass) and Mark (drums). Lucas featured on here recently with his other band, The Owen Guns. They released a debut Self Titled ep in March on local label Innercity Uprising. 4 short blasts of energetic and aggressive punk rock with plenty of attitude and an impressive amount of swearing. There was a ltd edition cd (50 copies only) and it's also available as a name your price download :   https://innercityuprising.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-8

  Not only did they release their debut ep in March, they also took a step further along the road to world domination by signing to Riot Records (https://goldenrobotrecords.com/riot-records/kids-of-skids/) and this week sees them polishing up the opening track from the ep and releasing it as a single. You know what, it's great cobber! It's a sub 90 second barrage of fast paced banging and shouting about the joys of going out to buy a big shiny and no doubt very sharp knife. It's called Army Store...

Vile Assembly - Not Quite Fair

  Vile Assembly (https://www.facebook.com/TheVileAssembly/) are the Liverpool based whistle blowers on an unjust society who proclaim that "The Truth Is Our Weapon Of Choice!!" They've featured on here several times previously and you can check out their previous releases here :   https://vileassembly.bandcamp.com/

  They return today with an impressive new single. It's a powerful song about the messed up system we're living in and is accompanied by a hard hitting video which contains some of the footage you'll have seen on your tv screens during the coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests. Pointing out how the police are being used by the rich to quell those they should be helping it calls for the feral elite to be crushed. It asks why instead of protecting our interests the government are more concerned with lining their pockets.

 We live in an unjust society where the protectors are in fact the oppressors. This is Not Quite Fair...

Mindframe - Cops

  Mindframe are from London and formed in 2013. After a change in personnel a couple of years later they released a debut 5 track ep titled Slumped And Dumped and followed it up in 2018 with the Mindframe Whiplash ep on Grow Your Own Records (https://anthraxuk.bandcamp.com/album/mindframe-whiplash-ep).

  Influenced by punk, hardcore and a touch of ska they currently line up with Trev (drums), Tabi (vocals), Ollie (guitar) and Bruce (bass) and they've recently released a new Self Titled 4 track ep. It was recorded and vocals were mixed in one day in June 2019 in the basement of the Hand In Hand pub in Brixton by Slow Faction vocalist John Youens. It's available as a name your price download on Bandcamp : https://mindframed.bandcamp.com/album/mindframe

  Highlights on the ep include Killer Nation which sounds to me very much like some of the great female fronted UK Riot City punk bands that graced the early 80's (Vice Squad, The Expelled etc...) and the song I'm highlighting below.

  A modern day pogo punk banger which sees Tabi proclaiming "I don't want to be a cop, I don't want to be a cunt" this is Cops... 

PI$$ER - Nazi Rhythm (Guest Review By Ralph J Rivera)

 

  A week or so ago I was going to post a new song by Sudbury noise merchants PI$$ER (https://www.facebook.com/Pisser-Band-2173718409610186/) but I'd already featured them last year (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2019/07/pier-i-wont-repent.html) and told you the band line up, listed the other groups they were past or present members of and mentioned how they reminded me of The Cravats and I'd also seen another good review that echoed my thoughts on the new release so I kind of stuck it on the back burner. Then yesterday I noticed my friend Ralph J Rivera enthusing about the new mini album so I asked him to write a few words.

 
  This was what he came up with... 

  Once again I have to thank my friend Mick Fletcher for giving me the opportunity to review a new release from his own country! In 2019 Pi$$er released one of the surprise EP's of the year, "Wretched Life". Capturing the best elements of UK 82 Punk Rock and modern sensibilties, nothing could have prepared us for the follow up mini album! 2020's "Crushed Down To Paste" will definitely catch you by surprise. Number one - when was the last time you heard a Punk band use a saxophone as a lead instrument? I'm pretty sure we ALL love X-Ray Spex and this is in the same league as that! 7 new songs that will have you dancing around in quarantine like there's no tomorrow! Members of The Domestics and pretty much every great modern UK band are involved in this project and I for one can't wait to hear what the next release is gonna sound like. I'm gonna let Mick pick his favourite song because I LOVE every song on this EP! You NEED this music in your life right now!

If you want to be as impressed as Ralph, the album is available on vinyl from Kibou Records and there's a couple of tracks streaming :
https://kibourecords.bigcartel.com/product/pi-er-crushed-down-to-paste-mini-lp
https://kibourecords.bandcamp.com/album/pi-er-crushed-down-to-paste-preview-tracks-only 

  This is a slice of "thrashing, anti-nazi bile" and it's titled Nazi Rhythm...

DANCE TO YOUR BLUT UND BODEN BEAT 
WARPED IDEOLOGY IN EVERY MOVE 
FUCK YOU AND YOUR NAZI RHYTHM 
FUCK YOUR NAZI RHYTHM NAZI RHYTHM 
NO FUNK FOR THE MASTER RACE 
IGNORANT THROWBACK PIECE OF SHIT 
FUCK YOU AND YOUR NAZI RHYTHM 
FUCK YOUR NAZI RHYTHM 
NAZI RHYTHM 
FUCK 
YOU 
AND 
YOUR 
NAZI 
RHYTHM 
HATE BEAT…

Tony Dork - Struggle Street

  Tony Dork (https://www.facebook.com/tonydorkband/) are the Melbourne garage punk 4 piece that came onto my radar a couple of years ago when I was tipped off about their S/T ep and in particularly the track Punt Road (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2018/08/tony-dork-punt-road.html). Since then they've drip fed us a couple of tracks to whet our appetite for debut album Struggle Street and with that album being released last month on Stiff Richards' Legless label I think it's about time I chose a track from it to highlight on here.

  The album as a whole is a blast. It's in equal measures both (deceptively) sloppy and very tight. It's the sound of a band having fun singing about the state of the world around them but in a microcosmic way as opposed to sweating the big stuff. It's a band that are showing signs of growing up and writing proper songs but who aren't prepared to fully leave their slacker attitude in the past.

  The album's available on both black and yellow vinyl and it's streaming here :   https://tonydork.bandcamp.com/album/struggle-street

  This song is the title track, and I'm assuming it takes inspiration from an Australian documentary which "shed light on the struggles and aspirations of residents in public housing areas around Western Sydney; areas which have been commonly associated with high unemployment, drug use and problems with the law." It's called Struggle Street...

Omega Tribe - Dandara Dos Santos

    "Beautiful song.... so sad it had to be written"
    A comment from someone called Steve Laughsalot which sums up today's song nicely.

    Omega Tribe formed in Barnet in 1981 (as Deadly Game), they were a vital part of the anarcho-punk scene with releases on Crass Records and Corpus Christi before splitting in 1988. There was a brief reunion in 1995 but it was 2016 before they got back together properly.

  They've just released a new 6 track ep on Grow Your Own Records and whilst musically their sound may have changed their ethos remains the same. It's available on 10" turquoise with flecks vinyl, cd and digital download :
https://anthraxuk.bandcamp.com/album/out-of-my-system

  The song I'm featuring is on the surface a gentle sounding love song until you listen to the lyrics.

  It's a tender tribute in memory of a 42 year old transgender woman who was beaten, tortured, shot and bludgeoned in Fortaleza, Brazil. It's a case that highlighted the high number of attacks on transgender people. You can read more here : https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/world/americas/brazil-transgender-killing-video.html

  Dandara Dos Santos...

Accidente - Caníbal

  As seems to have become an annual tradition, at the end of every year I chuck together a list of my favourite songs released during the previous 12 months. In 2016, the Just Some Punk Songs Top 50 (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-best-50-songs-of-2016.html) was topped by La Revuelta Real which was the closing track on Accidente's (https://www.facebook.com/Accidentepunk/) wonderful Pulso album. I've got to be honest, I've been wondering if we'd get more music from the band but out of the blue, BOOM! A new album.

  Hailing from Madrid and featuring a line up of Ranzio (bass/backing vocals), Edu (drums), Oli (drums), Miguel (guitar/backing vocals), Pablo (guitar/keyboards/backing vocals) and Bianca (vocals), they've returned triumphantly with a motto of defeat belongs only to those who surrender. A declaration that if this has gone ahead it is because of the love of all of you who row when things get ugly suggests that the release of new music was never a given but happily their 4th full length is exactly the sort of classy melodic punk rock we've come to expect from Spain's best band. It's titled Canibal and whilst we have to wait a little longer for the physical release, the digital version is available now as a name your price download : https://accidente.bandcamp.com/album/can-bal

  The album sounds great though this is unsurprising given it's by such a good band and it's been produced by Pablo Martinez and mastered by the legendary Mass Giorgini (Squirtgun, Common Rider, Screeching Weasel) at his Sonic Iguana Studio. There's 10 tracks, everyone a winner. Lyrics are in their native tongue, though this doesn't affect one's enjoyment, and the provided English translations reveals that both personal and political themes are the order of the day. The music is upbeat and very catchy even though the subject matter may be somewhat deeper. Hopefully the next album won't be another 4 years away.

  This is the title track, it's titled Canibal...

ME SIENTO SOLA EN ESTE BAILE
Y EN LAS DISTANCIAS CORTAS
IMAGINO COMPROMISO
DONDE SOLO HAY SOMBRAS
UN MEDIO PARA UNA META
FUGAZ, DE USAR Y TIRAR
UNA PIEZA DE RECAMBIO
QUE SE PUEDE DESECHAR

MERCANCÍA, COMPRAVENTA CANÍBAL
Y ESTA LÍQUIDA EXISTENCIA VACÍA

ME SIENTO SOLA EN ESTE BAILE
Y EN LAS DISTANCIAS CORTAS
IMAGINO RELACIONES
DONDE SOLO HAY SOMBRAS
ENCUENTROS MONODOSIS
CUERPOS PARA CONSUMIR
UNA PÍLDORA PAL EGO
QUE SE OLVIDA FÁCIL

MERCANCÍA, COMPRAVENTA CANÍBAL
Y ESTA LÍQUIDA EXISTENCIA VACÍA

---

I FEEL ALONE IN THIS DANCE
AND IN THE SHORT DISTANCES
I IMAGINE COMMITMENT
WHERE THERE ARE ONLY SHADOWS
JUST A MEAN FOR A GOAL
EASY, USE AND DISPOSE
A SPARE PART
THAT CAN BE DISCARDED
MERCHANDISE, CANNIBALTRADING
AND THIS EMPTY LIQUID EXISTENCE
I FEEL ALONE IN THIS DANCE
AND IN THE SHORT DISTANCES
I IMAGINE RELATIONSHIPS
WHERE THERE ARE ONLY SHADOWS
SINGLE-DOSE MEETINGS
BODIES TO BE CONSUMED
A PILL FOR THE EGO
EASILY FORGETTABLE

MERCHANDISE, CANNIBAL TRADING
AND THIS EMPTY LIQUID EXISTENCE